Energy from the desert. Very Large Scale Photovoltaic power systems : socio-economic, financial, technical and environmental aspects

The world's deserts are sufficiently large that, in theory, covering a fraction of their landmass with PV systems could generate many times the current primary global energy supply.The third book in the Energy from the Desert series examines the socio-economic, environmental and financial issues surrounding the use of Very Large Scale Photovoltaics (VLS-PV). It provides detailed coverage of technology and financing options (including recent and future trends in PV technology), potential social benefits such as desalination and agricultural development, and environmental and ecological impacts of systems and how these can be monitored, illustrated by case studies from the Sahara and Gobi Deserts. The concluding section consists of a roadmap outlining the options and opportunities for future implementation of VLS-PV. Building on the key concepts and case studies of previous volumes, this will be a key text for policy-makers and investors in the field. Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 11 Preface......Page 12 Task 8 Participants......Page 13 List of Contributors......Page 14 Acknowledgements......Page 15 List of Figures, Tables and Boxes......Page 16 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations......Page 24 A.1.2 VLS-PV for a sustainable future......Page 28 A.1.3 VLS-PV and other renewable resources......Page 29 A.2.1 Potential benefits for desert countries......Page 30 A.2.3 Sustainable community development......Page 31 A.2.5 Desalination......Page 32 A.3.1 The cost of VLS-PV generation......Page 33 A.3.3 Proposal for a VLS-PV business model......Page 34 A.4.2 The progress of MW-scale PV systems installation......Page 36 A.4.3 Advanced technology for VLS-PV systems......Page 37 A.4.4 Future technical options......Page 38 A.5.2 The ecological impact of VLS-PV development......Page 39 A.5.3 Analysis of global potential......Page 40 A.6.1 A case study on the Sahara Desert......Page 41 A.6.2 Case study on the Gobi Desert......Page 43 A.7.1 Future directions......Page 44 A.7.2 Scenarios on major technology streams......Page 45 A.7.3 VLS-PV roadmap proposal......Page 46 A.8.1 Conclusions......Page 48 A.8.2 Recommendations......Page 49 References......Page 50 1.2.1 Concept and definition......Page 52 1.2.3 A step-by-step approach for project development......Page 54 1.2.4 The potential advantages of VLS-PV......Page 55 1.3 Project development......Page 56 2.1 Energy issues......Page 57 2.2.3 Impacts of climate change......Page 58 2.2.4 Climate change mitigation strategies and renewable energy......Page 59 2.2.5 The response of international politics to climate change......Page 61 2.3.2 Deforestation and forest degradation......Page 62 2.3.4 The ecosystem......Page 63 2.4 VLS-PV for a sustainable future......Page 64 References......Page 65 3.1.1 CSP technology features......Page 67 3.1.2 Relative performance record......Page 68 3.1.3 The case for VLS-PV......Page 69 3.2 Conclusion......Page 70 References......Page 71 4.2.1 Potential benefits for desert countries......Page 72 4.2.3 Creation of a local industry......Page 73 4.3.1 Concept......Page 74 4.3.2 Revegetation by FoE Japan......Page 76 4.4.1 Significance of introducing alternative energy sources to and from desert areas......Page 77 4.4.3 Limited water resources at present and in the future......Page 78 4.4.4 Countering freshwater deficits and securing water for food production......Page 80 4.4.5 Example of border irrigation and fall leaching complex in Gansu, China......Page 81 4.4.6 Case study: Access of high-quality fresh water for sustainable irrigation......Page 82 4.5.1 Water shortage and its socio-economic impact......Page 85 4.5.2 Principles of desalination......Page 86 4.5.3 Solar powered desalination systems......Page 88 References......Page 92 5.1.1 The implications of high capital intensity......Page 94 5.1.3 Financing requirements......Page 95 5.1.4 Financing cost to society......Page 97 5.2.1 Description of a VLS-PV system......Page 105 5.2.2 Evaluation of the investment costs......Page 106 5.2.4 The financing scheme......Page 107 5.2.5 Simulation methodology – calculating the PV electricity price......Page 109 5.2.6 Conclusion......Page 110 5.3.1 System configurations......Page 111 5.3.2 Economic analysis......Page 112 References......Page 113 6.1.1 PV cell and module technology......Page 114 6.1.2 Considerations with respect to VLS-PV application......Page 115 6.1.3 Summary......Page 119 6.2.1 Electric connections......Page 120 6.2.3 Plant monitoring and security......Page 121 6.2.5 Energy yield......Page 122 6.3.1 Tracking technology overview......Page 123 6.3.2 CPV technology overview......Page 124 References......Page 128 7.1 Recent progreess of MW-scale PV systems......Page 129 7.2 Advanced design of VLS-PV systems......Page 137 7.2.2 From today’s to tomorrow’s plant architecture......Page 138 7.2.4 Components used for VLS-PV applications......Page 139 7.2.6 Conclusion......Page 140 7.3.1 System architecture of MW-scale PV systems......Page 141 7.3.2 Inverters for LS-PV systems......Page 142 7.3.3 Operation of MW-scale PV systems......Page 143 7.4.1 Costs reduction by an new array structure design......Page 144 7.4.3 Civil works: Conventional foundation systems......Page 146 7.4.4 Civil works: Cost reduction by use of an innovative foundation system......Page 147 References......Page 149 8.1.1 Previous studies for Texas, USA......Page 150 8.1.2 An Israel case study......Page 151 8.2 A statistical approach to energy storage......Page 152 8.2.2 Large storage capacity behaviour......Page 153 8.2.3 Small storage capacity behaviour......Page 154 8.3 Solar hydrogen......Page 155 8.3.2 The energetics of hydrogen packaging......Page 156 8.3.4 The energetics of hydrogen transfer......Page 157 8.3.5 Conclusion......Page 158 8.4.4 Control systems for operation of power plant with intermittent resource......Page 159 8.4.5 Predicting the moment of sun shading by clouds......Page 160 References......Page 161 9.1.1 Methodology of LCA......Page 163 9.1.2 Assumptions......Page 164 9.1.3 Results......Page 166 9.2 Estimation of ecological impacts of VLS-PV development in the Gobi Desert......Page 167 9.2.1 Overview of ecological footprint and ecological footprint analysis......Page 168 9.2.2 Estimation of possible impacts of VLS-PV development......Page 170 9.2.3 Summary......Page 172 References......Page 173 10.1.1 About satellite images......Page 174 10.1.3 Definition of suitable areas for the VLS-PV......Page 175 10.2.1 Pre-processing of analysis......Page 176 10.2.3 Undulating hills classification......Page 178 10.2.4 Vegetation index......Page 179 10.2.5 Integration......Page 180 10.3.1 Preparation of satellite images......Page 181 10.3.2 Results of the evaluation of six areas......Page 182 10.3.3 The ground truth......Page 183 10.3.4 Solar energy potential......Page 185 References......Page 186 11.2.1 Morocco......Page 187 11.2.2 Algeria......Page 190 11.2.3 Tunisia......Page 198 11.2.4 Libya......Page 204 11.2.5 Egypt......Page 207 11.3.1 Economic assumptions for VLS-PV (CPV) construction......Page 210 11.3.3 The case studies......Page 211 11.3.4 Sensitivity analysis......Page 214 11.5 Summary and conclusions......Page 215 References......Page 216 12.1.1 The project......Page 217 12.1.2 Calculation of the minimum electricity price......Page 221 12.3 Preliminary test of PV power systems installed in Naran Soum and Tibet......Page 222 References......Page 224 13.1 Future directions in the 21st century......Page 225 13.2 Assumed scenarios in major technology streams......Page 226 13.3.2 Annual installation......Page 228 13.3.3 Transition of market size and annual expenditure for VLS-PV......Page 229 13.3.4 VLS-PV installation by region......Page 231 References......Page 232 Annex......Page 233 14.2 Recommendations......Page 234 References......Page 236 Index......Page 237 The world's deserts are sufficiently large that, in theory, covering a fraction of their landmass with PV systems could generate many times the current primary global energy supply. The Energy from the Desert two-volume set details the background and concept of Very Large Scale Photovoltaics (VLS-PC) and examines and evaluates their potential as viable power generation systems. The authors present case studies of both virtual and real projects based on selected regions (including the Mediterranean, Sahara, Chinese Gobi, Mongolian Gobi, Indian Thar, Australian Desert and the US) and their specific socio-economic dynamics, and argue that VLS-PV systems in desert areas will be readily achievable in the near future. "The third book in the Energy from the Desert series examines the socio-economic, environmental and financial issues surrounding the use of Very Large Scale Photovoltaics (VLS-PV). It provides detailed coverage of technology and financing options (including recent and future trends in PV technology), potential social benefits such as desalination and agricultural development, and environmental and ecological impacts of systems and how these can be monitored, illustrated by case studies from the Sahara and Gobi Deserts. The concluding section consists of a roadmap outlining the options and opportunities for future implementation of VLS-PV."--pub. desc